GB618524A - Improvements in or relating to the production of cereal products - Google Patents

Abstract

Blistered, expanded cereal flakes capable of maintaining their tenderness, crispness and crunchiness after being mixed with cold water or milk, are made by cooking a mixture of cereal flour e.g. oat flour, wheat flour or a mixture of oat flour and another cereal flour, and water under pressure with simultaneous agitation for a sufficient period to produce a non-crumbling, rubbery dough, releasing the pressure and rapidly drying the cooked dough to substantially a 30 per cent moisture content, immediately flaking on rolls and subjecting the flakes to a temperature between 450 and 675 DEG F. to blister and expand them. The dough may be formed into pellets prior to flaking. The flour prior to forming dough may be extracted with a fat solvent. In an example, 125 parts by weight of oat flour are placed in the mixing chamber of a steam jacketed, pressure and vacuum equipped dough mixer and 80 parts by weight of water added. Flavouring ingredients, e.g. 5 parts by weight of salt, 5 parts white cane sugar and 10 parts malt syrup are added and the mixer closed and kneading commenced and steam at 30 lb. per sq. in. turned on. The internal pressure is maintained at 10 - 12 lb. per sq. in. and is released at the end of the cooking period and the dough dried to about 30 per cent moisture in the mixer under vacuum. The cooking period varies with the amount of dough, e.g. when 225 lb. dough are placed in a 50 gallon mixer the period is 90 minutes. The partially dried dough is formed into pellets by passing through a die and flaked. The flakes are passed through a rotary oven or placed on trays in a toasting oven and subjected to a blistering, toasting and expanding treatment by means of air at 450 - 675 DEG F. Instead of passing through a die the dough may be rolled and cut into flakes. In another example, de-fatted oat flour containing less than 1 per cent of fat obtained by treating with ethylene dichloride is used.ALSO:Blistered, expanded cereal flakes capable of maintaining their tenderness, crispness and crunchiness after being mixed with cold water or milk, are made by cooking a mixture of cereal flour, e.g. oat flour, wheat flour or a mixture of oat flour and another cereal flour, and water under pressure with simultaneous agitation for a sufficient period to produce a non-crumbling rubbery dough, releasing the pressure and rapidly drying the cooked dough to substantially a 30 per cent mixture content, immediately flaking on rolls and subjecting the flakes to a temperature between 450 DEG and 675 DEG F. to blister and expand them. The dough may be formed into pellets prior to flaking. The flour prior to forming dough may be extracted with a fat solvent. In an example, 125 parts by weight of oat flour are placed in the mixing chamber of a steam-jacketed, pressure and vacuum equipped dough mixer and 80 parts by weight of water added. Flavouring ingredients, e.g. 5 parts by weight of salt, 5 parts white cane sugar and 10 parts malt syrup, are added and the mixer closed and kneading commenced and steam at 30 lb. per sq. in. turned on. The internal pressure is maintained at 10-12 lb. per sq. in. and is released at the end of the cooking period and the dough dried to about 30 per cent moisture in the mixer under vacuum. The cooking period varies with the amount of dough, e.g. when 225 lb. dough are placed in a 50 gallon mixer the period is 90 mins. The partially dried dough is formed into pellets by passing through a die and flaked. The flakes are passed through a rotary oven or placed on trays in a toasting oven and subjected to a blistering, toasting and expanding treatment by means of air at 450 - 675 DEG F. Instead of passing through a die the dough may be rolled and cut into flakes. In another example, defatted oat flour containing less than 1 per cent of fat obtained by treating with ethylene dichloride is used.